The Common Elements Treatment Approach (CETA) combines treatments for a range of mental health issues (trauma, depression, anxiety, substance abuse) into a single model. While public health problems or disorders are traditionally treated individually, rigorous science-based research has shown that well-designed transdiagnostic treatments – a single treatment approach addressing various mental, behavioral and social problems together – can be effectively implemented by local providers in different settings.
UNDP is using this approach in the Republic of Moldova, where analysis for the local action plan found that poor mental health and substance abuse are key triggers of violence and that rural citizens’ access to mental health care services are limited. To address these difficulties, the pilot team of ‘Ending GBV and Achieving the SDGs’ project is applying the CETA methodology for the first time in the country.
Eight specialists from the newly established Safe Space were trained and are undergoing supervision and certification in this approach. Safe Space provides a range of services for GBV survivors and their children such as accommodation and legal, material, psychological and medical assistance, as well as GBV prevention support for the broader community.
CETA-trained counsellors in Ukraine have been offering the training and supervision to staff in the Republic of Moldova. This has provided the chance to learn from the experiences in Ukraine, including similar barriers and stigma to people seeking mental health services, and is an important example of regional knowledge exchange and capacity building.
In response to the crisis in Ukraine, the Safe Space team in the Republic of Moldova is now also providing critical CETA services to support Ukrainian refugees being accommodated at the space.
While the comprehensive results are currently being analyzed, it is expected that using the CETA approach in the Republic of Moldova will improve mental health, and reduce substance abuse and common drivers of intimate partner violence.
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